Elevator-indicator.



A. LE BLANC.

ELEVATOR INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I6, I913. 1,182,094, Patented May 9, 1916.

I WIIIQIIIIII A J INVENTOR L l L C I W J ITNESSES I 3 W m I u UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXIS LE BLANC, OF NEW YORK, Y., ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRIC ELEVATOR COMPANY, OF HONESDALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A-CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ELEVATOR-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916.

Application filed April 16, 1913. serial No. 761,436.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXIS LE BLANC, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York,

the mechanism whereby such indicators are actuated. Its object is to provide a simple and inexpensive mechanism of this character which is easy to install and reliable in action.

I will describe my invention in. the following specification and point out the novel features thereof in appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of an elevator car and a coiiperating indicator installation made according to my invention with certain parts'of the apparatus shown in section. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of one of the indicator units drawn on a larger scale. In Fig. 3 a modified structure for effecting changes in pressure is shown in sectional elevation. Another modification of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 4 in elevation With'one of'its parts shown in section. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a modified indicator structure for selectively energizing electriclights instead of moving a pointer.

Like characters of reference designate'corresponding parts in all the figures.

10 designates a tube in the elevator shaft both ends of which are closed and sealed.

At an intermediate point thereon is connected by a tube 11, a pressure changing device 12. In the particular form shown in the drawings, this comprises a casing 13 divided into two compartments by a flexible diaphragm 14. The lower compartment is in communication with the tubes 11 and 10 and may be filled with a non-compressible fluid. A rod 15 is affixed to the diaphragm and extends therefrom through the casing to a lever 16 withwhich it is connected. The lever 16 is pivoted at 17 and carries a weight 18'at an adjustable position thereon. In the other end of the lever is a series of notches 19.

An elevator car is shown at 20 and from it depends achain 21, the other end of which is fastened to the lever 16 at one of the notches therein.

It may be seen that with this arrangement the pressure below the diaphragm 14 and in the tube 10 depends upon the relation of- I the weights on lever 16 on opposite sides of its pivot 17. One of these is the weight 18 which, after it is set exerts a practically constant downward pressure upon the diaphragm and the other is the counteracting weight of the chain 21 the efl'ect-of which varies as the position of the car changes. Practically all of the weight of this chain is sustained by the lever 16 when the car is at the lower end of its path of travel, and is sustained by the car when the car is at the upper end of its run. Consequently the pressure in the tube 10 varies as the position of the car changes.

The indicators are located at the respective floors being connected with the tube 10 by branch tubes 22. One of them is shown in Fig. 2. Each comprises a casing 23 in which is a diaphragm 24. From the diaphragm extends a rod 25 on which is a collar or enlargement 26 which is arranged to the collar is a weight 27 and a compression spring 28 the upper end of which abuts against a screw 29 which serves to guide the upper portion of the rod 25 and to adjust the spring 28. The screw is mounted in a frame 30 to which is pivoted at 31a pointer 32 which is arranged to be moved over a scale 33 by the movement of the rod 25 which is transmitted to the pointer b a pin 34 projecting through a slot35 in the arm of the pointer. This mechanism is covered by a plate 36 in'Which is an opening 37 through which the scale may be seen. The pointer when at the ends of its path of movement is covered by the,plate and is only visible when it is over the scale.

It has been shown that the pressure in the tube 10 which is in communication with the compartments in the indicators under their respective diaphragms varies when the position of the elevator car is changed. Inthe arrangement shown in the drawings, this pressure is lowest when the car is at the lower end of its run. Then the pointers of their lowest positions by their weights 27.

and springs 28.

As the car rises, the fluid pressure in the system gradually increases and has a tendency to raise the pointers until the car reaches the upper end of its run when the pressure is maximum. and the pointers are raised thereby to their highest position.

The central mark on the scale of the indicator stands for the floor at which each indicator is installed. The graduations of the shown opposite the indicator at A, and its pointer is in its central position. The indicator at B is at a lower floor, consequently its pointer is above the central mark on its scale, showing that the car is above this floor. The pointers of the indicators at C and D are both below the central mark, that at C being at the second graduation mark below center to show that the car is two floors below, and that at D being below the opening in its cover plate to show that the car is below the zone of its movement.

The feature of having the pointers visible during portions only of the cars run is of advantage in tall buildings with many floors especially where there are many elevators used together. In such cases it is confusing to one in a hallway to see a ointer at each elevator shaft, each in a di erent position and most of them moving, as is apt to be the case. With. my arrangement however, the

pointers of only such cars as are near a given floor are visible so that the attention of the passenger will be immediately directed to those which are likely to be of immediate service to him.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, the chain 21A is accumulated in a'receptacle 38 on the-top of rod 15 of the pressure changer device 12 which in this case should be below the lower end of. the'cars path of travel. In this specific instance the descent of the car. causes a rise in pressure so that the indicator should be arranged and adjusted accordingly.

Fig. 4 shows another arrangement where; I

by variations in pressure in the tube 10 are attained by changes in the position of the car. In this case air is supplied from a pump 40 at a constant rate. etween the pump and the tube 10 is an escapement valve which may be closed when the car is at one end of its run but which may be opened wider and 43 having a chain 44 depending from the free end thereof and running up over a necting the valve with a lever 42 pivoted at sprocket wheel 45. connected to be rotated f by some movable part of the elevator mechanism and thence down to a weight 46 which is heavy enough to take up the slack of the chain. hen the car travels and thereby causes the Wheel 4.5 to rotate this will shift the weight of the part of the chain whichis supported by lever 42 to vary its resistance to the lift of valve 41. In this manner the desired variation of pressure in tube 10 re quired to actuate the indicators is obtained.

Instead of a pointer, electric'lights may be employed for indicating the approach of a car to any floor from either direction. The indicator mechanism of Fig. 5 is arranged for properly controlling electric lamp circuits to accomplish this result.

A lever 50 is substituted for the pointer of Fig. 2- and is correspondingly pivoted at 31 and connected to the rod 25 which is actuated by the diaphragm 24. A. contact block 51 is mounted to slide on an extension ver 50 is connected to a circuit conductor 61 of opposite polarity.

Thus one of the lamps is connected in circuit when the contact pin engages either of the contacts 56 and 57. The contact block is forced to the right by the cam structure composed of the insulation 57 and the contacts 55 and 56, and engages only the contact56 when the car approaches the floor in ascending. It is correspondingly forced to the left into engagement with the contact 57 when the car indescending approaches the floor. It is therefore only necessary to provide lamp bulbs having different colors in order to indicate the direction and approach of a car.

I have illustrated several modifications of structure to show that this invention is not limited to any specific form or design of mechanism and no limitations are intended other than those in the claims.

What I claim is: v

1. The combination of .an elevator car and a pressure responsive device for indicating the position of the car and a flexible cord connected with the car, of a fluid containing receptaclecommunicating with the pressure responsive device, and means connected with and arranged to be actuated by the weight of the flexible cord for varying the pressure on the fluid in the receptacle as the position of the car is changed.

2. The combination of an elevator car and a pressure responsive device for indicating the position of the car and a flexible cord connected with the car, of a fluid containing receptacle communicating with the pressure responsive device and means connected with and arranged to be actuated by the weight of the flexible cord for varying the pressure on the fluid in the receptacle, the proportion of the weight of said flexible cord borne by the pressure exerting means being varied according to changes in the position of the car.

3. The combination with an elevator car and a pressure responsive device for indi-- determined range of positions corresponding with a limited portion of the cars path of travel and a pressure responsive actuator therefor, of a fluid containing chamber communicating with the pressure responsive actuator and having a yielding wall and a flexible cord connected with the car and with the yielding wall of the fluid containing chamber whereby a pressure is exerted on the fluid by the weight of said cord which varies according to the proportion of said cord which acts upon the yielding wall of the chamber in different positions of the car.

5. In combination with an elevator car, of a pointer at a fixed station for indicating the position of the car visible only in a predetermined range of car positions adjacent to and including the position corresponding with that of said station, a pressure re sponsive actuator, for the pointer, a liquid containing chamber communicating with the pressure responsive actuator and means varying in effective weight in accordance with changes in the position of the car for proportionately varying pressure on the liquid.

6. In combination with an elevator car, of a pointer at a fixed station for indicating the position of the car visible only in a predetermined range of car positions adjacent to and including the position corresponding with that of said station, a pressure responsive actuator for the pointer, a liquid containing chamber communicating with the pressure responsive actuator and having a yielding wall in. engagement with the liquid and a flexible cord connected with the car and with the yielding wall of the liquid containing chamber whereby the pressure on the liquid varies according to the proportion of the weight of said cord acting upon the yielding wall of the chamber in different positions of the car.

7. The combination with an elevator car, of a lurality of pointers located at different xed stations along the path of car travel and adapted to indicate the position of the car, each pointer being visible only when the car is in a position near the station of said pointer, a pressure responsive actuator for each pointer, a liquid containing chamber communicating with the several actuators and means varying in effective weight in accordance with the variations in the position of the car for changing the pressure on the liquid.

8. The combination with an elevator car, of a plurality of pointers located at different fixed stations along the path of car travel and adapted to indicate the position of the car, each pointer being visible onl when the car is in a position near the station of said pointer a pressure actuator for each pointer, a liquid containing receptacle communicating with the several actuators, a flexible cord connected with the car and means connected with the flexible cord for varyin the pressure on the liquid, the weight 0 said cord being sustained by the ear and by said pressure varying means in different proportions according to the position of the car.

9. The combination with. an elevator car, a plurality of pointers located at different fixed stations alon the path of car travel and adapted to in icate the position of the car, each pointer being visible only when the car is near a position corresponding to the station of said pointer, a pressure responsive actuator for each pointer, a liquid containing chamber communicating with the several actuators and having a yielding wall in engagement with the liquid and a flexible cord connected with the car and with the yielding wall of the liquid containing chamber arranged to vary the pressure on the liquid according to the proportion of the cord acting upon the yielding wall of the chamber in diflerent positions of the car.

10. In combination with an elevator shaft having a plurality of stations, of an elevator car, a plurality of movable indicators for the stations graduated to indicate the position of the car, each indicator being visible only when the car is near or is at the station corresponding with that of said indicator, a pressure responsive actuator for each indicator, a liquid containing chamber communicating with the several actuators and having a yielding wall in engagement with the liquid and a flexible cord connected with the car and with the yielding wall of the liquid containing chamber arranged to vary the pressure on the liquid according to the proportion of the cord which acts u on the yielding wall of the chamber in ifi'erent positions of the car.

11. In combination with an elevator shaft having a, plurality of stations, of an elevator car, a plurality of indicators located one at each station, and comprising a scale having graduations thereon representin stations and a pointer visible only when t e car is near or is at the station corresponding with that of the indicator, a pressure responsive actuator for each pointer, a liquid containing chamber communicating with the several actuators and having a yielding wall in engagement with the liquid and a flexible cord connected with the car and with the yielding wall of the liquid containing chamber arranged to vary the pressure on the liquid according to the proportion of said cord which acts upon the yielding wall of the chamber in different positions of the car.

12. In combination with an elevator car, a

position signal therefor, an actuator for the signal and a long flexible weight connected with the car and arranged to act upon the actuator and to have the length of the part thereof which acts upon the actuator changed by the movement of the car.

13. In combination with an elevator car, a position signal therefor, an actuator for the signal and a long flexible weight connected with the car and arranged to act upon the actuator and to have the length of the part thereof which acts upon the actuator changed by the movement of thecar, said signal actuator having an element working in opposition to the weight of the gravity member.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 27th day of March in the year 1913.

ALEXIS LE BLANC. Witnesses:

W. M. CUMMISKEY, C. R. CALLAWAY. 

